Clothes washing machine



Oct. 1, 1957 w. k. MOLNAR 2,807,949

CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE Filed Nov. 12, 1954 INVENTOR. 9 45 5 WILLIAM. R. MOLNAR ms ATTORNEY United States Patent CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE William R. Molnar, Louisville, Ky., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application November 12, 1954, Serial No. 468,459

Claims. (Cl. 68-18) This invention relates to clothes washing machines, and in particular to domestic clothes washers of the type having a vertical axis agitator operating within a clothes basket.

Clothes washers of the type having an agitator oscillated on a vertical axis are Widely used and their effectiveness for removing soil from clothes and other articles of laundry has been clearly demonstrated. It is also common practice to provide such machines with a rotatable clothes basket in which the agitator operates, and which has substantially imperforate bottom and side walls, the side Wall flaring outwardly, with a drive mechanism arranged to rapidly rotate the basket upon conclusion of the washing operation to extract centrifugally the liquid. While such a machine effectively removes the soil, it is found that the heavy insoluble particles, sand, silt, and the like, tend to remain in the basket even after centrifugal extraction. Thereafter, when the basket is again filled with liquid, for example for the rinsing operation, these insoluble particles may be re-deposited on the clothes; or upon the conclusion of the entire washing operation, the operator may notice deposits of sand or like particles in the bottom of the machine, necessitating a manual cleaning operation.

Correspondingly, it is a primary objective of this invention to obviate these difficulties and to provide a clothes washer effectively removing insoluble heavy soil particles during the washing operation.

A further objective of this invention is to provide a selfcleaning clothes washer automatically removing heavy soil and disposing of it to the drain. Another object of this invention is to provide cleaner laundry in a shorter washing time.

Still further objectives include the provision of a highly reliable clothes washing machine, minimizing the necessity of manual cleaning, while featuring simplicity and low manufacturing cost.

Briefly stated, in accordance with one aspect of my invention, I provide insoluble soil removal means for a clothes washer of the type having a generally imperforate wash basket within an outer tub and an agitator within the basket. The agitator is of the type operating on a generally vertical axis with appropriate liquid impelling vanes and an outwardly flared skirt extending over a substantial area of the bottom of the basket. The area under the agitator skirt accumulates the insoluble soil particles during operatiomin view of the limited turbulence compared with the main washing zones in the basket. 1 Located in this soil collection area of limited turbulence, I provide a nozzle in the bottom basket wall discharging into the outer tub, thereby to remove the soil particles from the basket. By use of suitable recirculation means, liquid discharged into the tub with the soil particles is returned to the basket, leaving the insoluble particles in the outer tub for subsequent disposal upon conclusion of agitation.

' The features of my invention-which I believe to be novel are set forth with particularity in the ,appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as'to its or- Patented Oct. 1, 1957 ganization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which the single figure is a side elevation of a clothes washing machine embodying my invention, with certain surfaces broken away and partially sectionalized to illustrate details.

Referring to the drawing, my invention is shown as embodied in an automatic clothes washer of the domestic type. In accordance with conventional practice, the machine is enclosed within an outer cabinet structure consisting of side walls 1, a front wall 2, rear wall 3, and a separate top 4. The cabinet structure is completed by securement to a base assembly 5 by means of bolts 6 in the usual manner. The base assembly is provided with appropriate threaded adjustment feet 7 extending through flanges 8 provided in the base assembly at points strengthsued by reinforcing plates 9. A lock nut 10 is desirable to secure each adjusting foot in the desired position when the machine has been installed and leveled.

The top 4 of the machine includes a backsplash panel 11 having mounted thereon an appropriate decorative escutcheon plate 12. For automatic machine operation, one or more control knobs such as 13 may be positioned on the backsplash panel for adjusting and controlling the desired sequence of machine operations.

Rigidly secured within the cabinet structure is an outer tub 14 and within which is rotatably mounted the clothes basket 15. Basket 15 preferably is provided with a bottom wall 16 having a slight downward slope, and preferably one or more downwardly stepped areas such as 17 and 18. The basket side wall 19 in'the usual manner is inclined slightly outwardly to reach a maximum diameter adjacent the upper edge thereof. At maximum diameter, a plurality of apertures 20 are provided, through which liquid may escape, for example during centrifugal extraction. The uppermost edge of basket 15 is rolled inwardly as at 21 to carry a balance ring and clothes retainer 21a to prevent flotation or projection of clothes from the basket into the outer tub during the operation of the machine. It is to be noted in particular in connection with this application that basket 15 is substantially imperforate thereby to retain within the basket articles of clothing and the washing detergent.

Operatively positioned and preferably centrally located within the basket is an agitator 22 of the type having a center post 23 from which extend, for example radially, a plurality of vanes or liquid impelling means 24. Vanes 24 are joined to an outwardly and downwardly flared skirt 25 which extends to a position in proximity to the bottom wall of the basket and extending over a substantial area thereof. Agitator 22 is independently rotatable with respect tothe basket, and to provide an appropriate mounting for the agitator, a basket hub 26 is provided with a bearing 27 to journal an internal hub 28 formed in the agitator. In a conventional manner, the agitator is secured in the desired position by means of an acorn nut 29 at the upper end of the center post.

Basket 15 and agitator 22 are independently driven from a drive mechanism of any appropriate and well known type contained within an enclosing casing 30, as shown on the drawing. In the usual manner, the drive to the basket is provided through an outer shaft or spin tube (not shown) connected to the basket hub through a clamping means 31. A mounting flange 32 formed as a part of the basket hub is bolted to the basket as illustrated. Agitator 22 may be driven by an internal shaft (not shown) extending coaxially through the spin tube and secured to the agitator at the upper end by acorn nut 29.

Power for operating the machine is supplied from means such as an electric motor 33. By way of example, I have shown motor 33 operating a bi-directional clutch consisting of clutch halves 34 and 35 driving respectively pulleys 36 and 37. Pulley 36 is connected by a flexible belt 38 to an input pulley 39 of transmission 30. It is contemplated that the input pulley 39 will provide the drive for high-speed rotation of basket 15. Similarly, drive pulley 37 of the bi-directional clutch assembly is connected by a flexible belt 40 to a transmission input pulley 41, for example for drive of agitator 22.

Insofar as this application is concerned, any suitable drive mechanism may be employed which selectively provides a drive for oscillating agitator 22 or for rotating both the agitator and the basket at a high speed for centrifugal extraction. In the illustrated embodiment, this selection between agitation or wash action and centrifugal extraction is provided by controlling the direction of rotation of motor 33. Thus, upon one direction of rotation, the bi-directional clutch is effective to provide a drive only to transmission input pulley 41, thereby to drive agitator 22; while upon the reverse direction of rotation, the bidirectional clutch is effective to provide a drive to input pulley 39, thereby to rotate basket at a high speed for extraction. While I have not shown the details of the construction in this application, since the precise drive mechanism does not form a part of this invention, reference is made to Patents 2,639,618 and 2,639,794, both dated May 26, 1953, and both issued to J. W. McNairy and assigned to the General Electric Company, assignee of this application. These patents disclose in detail the structural characteristics of the drive mechanism including the bi-directional clutch and the transmission assembly.

During normal operation, conditions of static and dynamic unbalance within basket 15 must be expected. Therefore, during centrifugal extraction appreciable gyratory motion of the basket occurs. To permit such motion, bottom wall 14 of the outer tub (which remains rigid with the outer cabinet) is provided with an enlarged aperture 42 of appreciably larger diameter than that of transmission casing 30. A water-tight seal is provided between this opening in the bottom wall of the tub and the transmission casing by means of a flexible corrugated boot 43 having a plurality of convolutions to increase its flexibility. The lower end of boot 43 may be secured to the opening in tub 14 by means of compression rings 44 and 44a as shown. The upper end of the boot is compressed against transmission casing 30 by means of a clamping ring 45. Thus, the basket and agitator assembly along with the transmission is free to move relative to the stationary parts of the machine.

It is also preferred to mount the motor and clutch assembly in the moving system. For this purpose, the motor may be secured to a sled 46 which in turn is secured to one or more upright members 47 connected with transmission 30. The upright members 47 are appropriately secured to a spider or frame-work 48 which then may be suspended from the base of the machine in any suitable manner by resilient means (not shown). For example, a suspension and vibration damping system may be employed along the lines illustrated by Patent 2,454,112, issued November 16, 1948, to T. T. Woodson tion. For example, a directional pump of the type disclosed by the co-pending application Serial No. 468,460, filed November 12, 1954, of John Bochan, assigned to the General Electric Company, assignee of this application, may be used. Obviously, however, a pump having a single outlet could be used in combination with appropriate valve means to control the discharge path. In either event, it is necessary in accordance with this invention to provide one discharge hose or conduit 53 for returning liquid to basket 15 through a discharge nozzle 54. The other discharge hose 55 is intended to be connected to or disposed for discharge to a stationary tub or waste line, and hence for this purpose it may conveniently include a goose neck 56 on the end thereof. This pump system is so arranged that upon one direction of motor rotation, corresponding to a drive to agitator 22, the pump output is discharged through conduit 53 for return to basket 15; while upon reverse input drive to basket 15 for extraction, liquid is pumped through conduit 55 to the waste line.

For washing of clothes, basket 15 is filled to the overflow level and a quantity of liquid preferably overflows into the outer tub. A suitable soap or detergent compound is then added. Oscillation or other appropriate motion of the agitator produces a churning action of the liquid and tumbling motion of the articles of laundry contained within the basket. A certain amount of rubbing action between the layers of laundry and between the laundry and vanes of the agitator also results. The combined result is, of course, to extract the soil from the laundry. The detergent suspends a substantial amount of such soil in the washing liquid; but it is not uncommon for the laundry articles to contain a substantial amount of relatively heavy and insoluble soil particles which will not remain in suspension in the washing liquid. This inven tion is particularly directed to the means for removing such insoluble soil particles.

During agitator operation, the heavy soil particles naturally tend to collect at the bottom of the machine, and while there is a tendency for them to remain in motion with the liquid, within a relatively short time, most of such particles seek an area of relatively limited turbulence. Such an area is defined by the portion of the bottom wall of the basket underneath the outwardly extending skirt 25 of the agitator. In fact, it is found that there is practically no turbulence whatsoever in the area under the skirt of the agitator adjacent hub 26 of the basket. To prevent soil particles from entering this more or less stagnant area, a boot 57 is employed extending from the hub or center post 26 of the basket downwardly and outwardly to the bottom wall of the basket. While a liquid-tight seal is not essential, it is preferred that this boot fit snugly enough with hub 26 and assigned to the General Electric Company, assignee r of this application.

Liquid discharged into outer tub 14 from basket 15 is disposed of by means of a pump 49 rigidly secured to the bottom wall of the tub; the bottom wall of the tub is provided, of course, with an appropriate aperture defining of the basket and the bottom wall of the basket to prevent entry of dirt or soil particles into the area enclosed thereby.

I also provide in the bottom wall of the basket an aperture 58 to which is connected a nozzle member 59 of inverted conical shape with its Wall converging into a relatively small outlet aperture 60 discharging into the outer tub. It is found that this particular shape of discharge nozzle 59 is of value in providing a completely self-cleaning structure while limiting the discharge rate of the detergent and liquid from the basket. Since aperture 58 and nozzle 59 are located in the position under the agitator in the area of limited turbulence during oscillation of the agitator, the insoluble particles collected under the agitator are carried with the liquid through the aperture into the outer tub. The limited turbulence under the agitator tends to sweep particles into nozzle member 59 through the relatively large inlet aperture 58. Boot 57 also assists in directing particles into the nozzle. Thereby, substantially all insoluble heavy soil particles pass through the nozzle into the outer tub during the agitation period.

. For this. system to be completely effective the in.-

soluble soil particles must be separated from the liquid returned to the wash basket through hose 53 and nozzle 54. While such liquid and soil separation means might take a number of different forms, it is found quite practical to use the outer tub as a settling chamber. vThis may be accomplished by supplying the machine with sufficient. liquid, not only to fill basket 15, but also to provide, for example, 4 to 6 gallons of liquid in the outer tub. In a typical domestic washer, it is contemplated that liquid will flow through nozzle 59 at a rate in the range from 1 to 3 gallons per minute. A flow restrictor 63 is placed in the recirculation hose 53 to limit the flow rate, for example to 6 gallons per minute. Obviously any excess water recirculated into basket 15 will overflow through apertures 20. With such an arrangement 2 to 4 inches of water is present in the outer tub at all times during the washing period. This permits the heavy soil particles to settle to the bottom of the tub where they tend to remain until all of the liquid is pumped from the machine during a subsequent extraction stage.

A suitable strainer61 preferably is provided for the pump inlet. While many types of such strainers are available, I have shown here a device of the type having a plurality of outwardly extending vanes 62. This device prevents the entry of any large particles of laundry into the pump while permitting soil particles, lint, and the like to pass into the pump chamber.

During centrifugal extraction when basket 15 is rotated at high speed, the liquid contents of the basket are very rapidly discharged into the outer tub resulting in a high degree of turbulence which tends to wash such soil particles into the pump for discharge through hose 55 to the drain. Therefore, any serious or undesirable buildup of insoluble soil within the tub is prevented. Furthermore, as the centrifugal extraction period continues, all of the water is pumped from the outer tub, carrying with it the collection of soil particles. In any event, insoluble soil particles are substantially removed from the wash basket and outer tub during each centrifugal extraction period.

In operation of this device, the laundry to be washed and an appropriate quantity of detergent and liquid are placed within wash basket 15. The drive mechanism is controlled to operate the agitator to produce the desired washing action, while the basket is retained in a substantially stationary position, but if desired with a limited creep or rotation. The soil which can be emulsified or suspended in the washing solution is, of course, removed from the laundry and eventually discharged from the basket during centrifugal extraction. The relatively heavy particles which remain insoluble and tend to settle out from the washing solution accumulate under the skirt of the agitator, this motion being assisted, if desired, by the downward inclination of bottom wall 16 of the basket. Such insoluble particles, of course, tend to remain underneath the agitator skirt in view of the limited turbulence in this area. By providing the liquid discharge nozzle 59 in this area of limited turbulence, afiow of liquid under the agitator is provided to sweep the insoluble particles into nozzle 59 for discharge into the outer tub. It is to be noted, however, that the flow rate through nozzle 59 must be at a sufficiently low value to prevent the suction of articles of laundry under the agitator. In other words, flow rates in the main washing zones of the basket must be considerably higher than the flow resulting from discharge through nozzle 59. Throughout the washing operation, liquid is separated from the insoluble soil in the outer tub with the liquid being returned to the wash basket, thereby maintaining the desired level of the washing liquid.

Upon conclusion of the washing operation, during which time substantially all of the insoluble soil particles have discharged through nozzle 59 into the outer tub, the basket is driven at a relatively high speed to extract the soapy or detergent liquid along with the suspended soil by discharge through apertures 20 in the basket. During extraction, the pump discharges through hose 55 to an appropriate drain.

In the usual manner, one or more rinsing operations may be employed, followed by a final centrifugal extraction. Since the insoluble particles were substantially all removed during the preliminary washing operation there can be no redeposition on the clothes. Furthermore, most of the soil is flushed from the outer tub during the final rinse and extraction periods, thus leaving the machine in a relatively clean and sanitary condition for the next operation.

While this invention has been described by reference to a particular embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that numerous modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without actually departing from the invention. It is, therefore, the aim of the appended claims to cover all such equivalent variations as come within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A clothes washer comprising a receptacle for containing laundry articles and a liquid detergent, an agitator within said receptacle having a downwardly and outwardly flaring skirt thereon, means driving said agitator to provide areas within said receptacle of high turbulence to provide the necessary washing action and an area of limited turbulence under said agitator skirt, means defining a nozzle for discharge of liquid and heavy soil particles from said area of limited turbulence during the washing operation, and means for returning the liquid discharged through said nozzle to the basket.

2. In a clothes washer having a wash basket with an upwardly extending center post, an agitator within said basket having a downwardly and outwardly flared skirt and a plurality of vanes projecting from said skirt, means supporting and driving said agitator with an oscillatory motion on the axis of the center post, a discharge nozzle positioned in the bottom of said basket and under the skirt of said agitator displaced from the axis of said center post for discharging liquid and soil particles from beneath said skirt during the washing operation, a boot extending from said center post downwardly and outwardly to a radius approaching the displacement of said nozzle from said center post, and means for recirculating liquid discharged through said nozzle back into said wash basket.

3. In a clothes washer, a wash basket for containing articles of laundry and liquid detergent and including an upwardly extending center post, an agitator having a downwardly and outwardly flared. skirt with a plurality of agitating vanes projecting therefrom, means driving said agitator with an oscillatory motion on the axis of said center post, a discharge nozzle positioned in the bottom of said basket under the skirt of said agitator and displaced from the axis of said center post for discharging liquid and soil particles from beneath said skirt during the washing operation, said nozzle having downwardly converging walls leading to a discharge aperture, a boot extending from said center post downwardly and outwardly to a radius approaching the displacement of said nozzle from said center post, and means recirculating liquid discharged through said nozzle back into said wash basket.

4. In a clothes washer, an outer tub, a wash basket within said tub, an agitator within said basket, said agitator having a plurality of vanes to impel the detergent and laundry articles and an outwardly extending skirt on the lower portion thereof, the area under said skirt having relatively low turbulence during operation whereby insoluble soil particles accumulate, a discharge nozzle in the bottom wall of said basket and located in the area under said agitator for. discharging liquid and soil particles from beneath saidagitator skirt during the washing operation, means separating the insoluble soil particles from the liquid discharged into said outer tub, and means recirculating the liquid back into said basket.

5. A clothes washer comprising an outer tub, a centrifugal extractor basket mounted for rotation on a vertical axis within said tub, said basket having a central hub and imperforate bottom and side walls with extraction discharge means adjacent the upper edge thereof, an agitator within said basket, said agitator having an outwardly flaring skirt with the periphery thereof in proximity to said bottom basket wall, means extending through said basket hub for driving said agitator, a discharge nozzle in the bottom wall of said basket and located within the periphery of said agitator skirt for discharging liquid and soil particles from beneath said agitator skirt during agitation, and means separating liquid from insoluble soil in said outer tub during agitation and for recirculating the liquid back into said basket.

6. A clothes washer comprising an outer tub, a centrifugal extractor basket mounted for rotation on a generally vertical axis within said tub, said basket having a central hub and bottom and side walls to define a receptacle for receiving liquid detergent and laundry articles, an agitator within said basket having an outwardly flaring skirt with the periphery thereof in proximity with the bottom wall of said basket, means for driving said agitator to impart a washing action to the articles of laundry and washing detergent, a discharge nozzle in the bottom wall of said basket and located Within the periphery of said agitator skirt for discharging liquid and soil particles from beneath said skirt during the washing operation, means extending from the basket hub to said bottom wall deflecting insoluble particles toward said nozzle, means separating the liquid from the insoluble soil in said outer tub, and means for recirculating the liquid back into said basket.

7. In a clothes washer, a receptacle for containing laundry articles and a liquid detergent, an agitator within said receptacle having a downwardly and outwardly fiared skirt approaching the bottom of said receptacle, means driving said agitator to provide areas within said basket of high turbulence for washing action and an area of limited turbulence, means defining a nozzle through the bottom wall of said receptacle located in the area of limited turbulence, said nozzle having a limited discharge rate to remove during the washing operation liquid and insoluble soil particles collected in said area of limited turbulence, an outer container receiving liquid and soil particles discharged through said nozzle and adapted to contain an additional quantity of liquid, and means recirculating liquid from said container back into said receptacle at a rate exceeding the nozzle discharge rate.

8. In a clothes washer, a receptacle having bottom and side walls and an open top for receiving liquid detergent and laundry articles, agitation means within said receptacle having an outwardly flared skirt approaching the bottom wall of said receptacle, means driving said agitator to provide zones of washing action and an area of limited turbulence under said agitator skirt, a discharge nozzle of limited flow rate in the bottom wall of said receptacle under said agitator skirt for discharging liquid and soil particles from beneathsaid skirt during the washing operation, the bottom wall of said receptacle being inclined downwardly toward said nozzle, and means recirculating liquid discharged through said nozzle back into said receptacle.

9. In a clothes washer, an outer tub, a wash basket within said tub, an agitator within said basket, said agitator having a plurality of agitating vanes and an outwardly extending skirt on the lower portion thereof, the area under said skirt having relatively low turbulence during operation of said agitator whereby insoluble soil particles accumulate therein, a discharge nozzle in the bottom wall of said basket located in the region under said agitator skirt for discharging said soil particles into said tub in a flow of liquid during the washing operation, said nozzle having downwardly converging walls leading to a discharge aperture, means separating the insoluble soil particles from the liquid discharged into said outer tub, and means recirculating the liquid back into said basket.

10. In a clothes washer, a wash basket for containing articles of laundry and liquid detergent and including an upwardly extending center post, an agitator having a downwardly and outwardly flared skirt with a plurality of agitating vanes projecting therefrom, means driving said agitator on the axis of said center post, a discharge nozzle positioned in the bottom of said basket under the skirt of said agitator and displaced from the axis of said center post for discharging liquid and soil particles from beneath said skirt during the washing operation, said nozzle having downwardly converging walls leading to a discharge aperture, a boot extending from said center post downwardly and outwardly to a radius approaching the displacement of said nozzle from said center post and the bottom of said basket being stepped upwardly at a radius slightly greater than the displacement of said nozzle from said center post, whereby a narrow, depressed, soil collecting region is formed around said boot for feeding liquid and soil particles to said nozzle, and means recirculating liquid discharged through said nozzle back into said wash basket.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,382,992 Lombard June 28, 1921 1,506,783 Snyder Sept. 2, 1924 1,665,959 Graham Apr. 10, 1928 2,075,628 Sekavec Mar. 30, 1937 2,103,966 Behan Dec. 28, 1937 2,218,276 Woodin Oct. 15, 1940 2,470,140 Castner May 17, 1949 2,516,327 Kuhn July 25, 1950 2,561,213 Mahowald July 17, 1951 2,621,505 Smith Dec. 16, 1952 2,645,109 Smith July 14, 1953 2,724,255 Wilkins Nov. 22, 1955 

